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Salazie cirque

Cascade Blanche from the Pont de l'Escalier, in Salazie

Easy
Distance1.9km
Ascent100m
Estimated time0 h 35
One way239 – 310 m−80 m of descentStart Parking du pont de l'Escalier
  • 640 m waterfall
  • Gateway to Salazie
  • Bras de Caverne
  • Easy
  • Family friendly
  • Sudden floods
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The Cascade Blanche drops more than 600 m, in three leaps, into the gorges of the Bras de Caverne, at the gateway to the Salazie cirque: it is one of the highest waterfalls in France. From the Pont de l'Escalier, a short path follows the river to the viewpoint facing the falls, then on to the end of the path, by the Bras de Caverne. Allow 1.9 km out, almost flat, and the same way back. The National Park gives an hour and a half there and back.

Map and profile

Hover over the profile or the trace: the marker follows on both.

Cascade BlancheBout du sentier de la Cascade Blanche Start 1 km
300 m400 m Parking du pont de l'EscalierCascade BlancheBout du sentier de la Cascade Blanche 0 300 m400 m 01 km
One way, 1.9 km · +100 m / −80 m
Stops: markers on the trace and on the profile

Stops

  1. Parking du pont de l'EscalierPlacekm 0.0
  2. Cascade BlancheWaterfallkm 1.1 245 m
  3. Bout du sentier de la Cascade BlanchePlacekm 1.9

In pictures

On the trail · km 0.0
On the trail · km 0.3
Cascade Blanche
On the trail · km 1.1
On the trail · km 1.8
Trail statusNo known closure on this route
Checked on 7 October 2026 · ONF ordersClosed trails in Salazie →

The route

From the RN2, take the "Rivière du Mât les Hauts – Salazie" exit and the road into the cirque. After the small Pisse-en-l'Air waterfall, the road crosses the river on the Pont de l'Escalier, built in 1857, which marks the entrance to Salazie. The car park is just after it. Without a car, Estival line 82 from the Saint-André bus station stops at "Pont Escalier".

From the car park, climb the steps, then follow the lane between the houses. The path starts to the right of the last house, along a fence behind which big dogs stand guard: do not touch the fence and walk on the far side of the lane. It then follows the river, climbs a short steep rise, runs level along the rampart and drops back to the water. Five minutes later, the viewpoint opens up facing the Cascade Blanche.

The path carries on through a stretch overrun by rose apple, an introduced shrub that is one of the island's most invasive, to its end on the left bank of the Bras de Caverne, at the ford. Along the way, the Park points out rare plants such as the white palm, one of the rarest palms in La Réunion, protected. The way back is the same.

Good to know

The official path ends at the ford, on the left bank: the foot of the waterfall is on the other bank, across the Bras de Caverne, a crossing that is neither waymarked nor maintained. The river responds at once to rain and floods can come suddenly: do not cross, and turn back as soon as it rains. The first part of the walk, between the houses, belongs to the municipality and is not maintained by the ONF, and the town hall has closed it before after cyclones. There is no supervised swimming: the regional health agency advises against contact with stream water after heavy rain, because of leptospirosis. Set off around 8 am, before the midday clouds. RandoMafate shows the ONF trail closures and the forecast for the hike before you leave, and your close ones follow your outing on a simple web page.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to see the Cascade Blanche?

The viewpoint is about half an hour from the car park, and the National Park counts an hour and a half there and back to the end of the path. RandoMafate estimates 0 h 35 of walking for the way out, without breaks.

Can you go to the foot of the Cascade Blanche?

Not on the official path, which ends at the ford on the left bank of the Bras de Caverne. The foot of the waterfall is on the other bank, across a river crossing exposed to slips on wet boulders and to sudden floods. Stay at the viewpoint.

Can you go with children?

Yes, the Park rates the path easy. Keep them close by the dogs' fence at the start and on the short steep rise, often muddy in wet weather.

What else is there to see at the entrance to the Salazie cirque?

The Pisse-en-l'Air, a waterfall that falls right onto the road just before the Pont de l'Escalier, and the Voile de la Mariée, seen from a viewpoint about a kilometre past Salazie village. The path to the foot of the Voile de la Mariée has been banned by municipal order since 2014 because of rockfalls.

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